Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: The Game of the Gods: Part 2 – Red Eyes in the Morning…
Written by: Walter Simonson
Penciled by: Jerry Ordway
Inked by: P. Craig Russell
Colored by: Trish Mulvihill
Lettered by: John E. Workman
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Publisher: DC Comics
WONDER WOMAN is a book that has hung by a thread on my pull list for a year now. I never was a big WONDER WOMAN fan, and the last thirteen issues have comprised my longest run reading the title. I’m a Warlord junkie, so I started picking up the book during Diana’s adventures in Skartaris. Just as the storyline was wrapping up, it was announced Phil Jimenez was leaving WONDER WOMAN, and all-time greats Walt Simonson and Jerry Ordway would take on the title for a six-issue run. Well I had to stay on board for this!
The first part of “The Game of the Gods†wasn’t all that satisfying; in fact it was a big disappointment. Simonson, in his zeal to get things moving, introduced a lot of new plotlines, but didn’t resolve anything. This issue jumpstarts the story but makes little sense of the situation. The plot centers on an amnesiac Princess Diana and her struggle to protect a clay idol from body switching demons. Yet the why is left totally unexplained. I assume the storyline will come together in the next four parts, and the confusion is used as a contrivance to put us firmly in Diana’s shoes. As the mystery unravels for her, so will it for the readers.
At the onset, Diana materializes in modern day New York following her escape from the demons last issue. Simonson has loaded the story with horror, superhero, and mysterious elements. The reader is even treated to a walk down memory lane, as her number one fan Becca retells her origin. Some great fan boy references are thrown in, including allusions to the old Wonder Woman television show. Who ever thought we’d see the Wonder-Spin again?
The plot is turning out to be quite grand, and everything an epic storyline can encompass. During the course of the tale we learn that Olympus is deserted, and Wonder Woman, following her little spin, is still powered but doesn’t have her trademark tiara or bracelets. To help hide from the demons, Becca redefines Wonder Woman’s look, giving her a short spiked hairdo and new clothes. The Guardians of the Universe even get involved on the last page! Is it too much? For one issue, yes! Walt’s ability to pull everything together into a satisfying conclusion will be the ultimate deciding factor in the success of this arc.
Jerry Ordway and P. Craig Russell ground the book with very solid work. If not for their steady hands, the confusion of this epic storyline would really be a drain on the reader. They face the difficult task of having their art stand out over a very prose heavy storyline. I think their work should be commended, and hope to see more regular work from both in the near future.
